Opposition defeat govt in Malawi parliament over Constituency Fund
Opposition members of parliament on Thursday stylishly defeated the government side on a vote on whether the Constituency Development (CDF) should be increased or not.
The opposition had wanted the CDF to be increased from K18 million to K25 million from the current K15 million allocation per constituency.
They argued that CDF is more effective than the District Development Fund (DDF)—which is approved by ward councillors seen as potential rivals in the next parliamentary election.
The opposition MPs emphatically said the CDF has done wonders in their respective constituencies than the District Development Fund which is channelled through district councils.
They claimed district council officials abuse the district development fund.
“Taking into account price fluctuations on materials, we feel that CDF should be raised to at least K18 million to be comfortable,” said MP for Rumphi East Kamlepo Kalua (People’s Party-PP).
Nkhotakota North East MP Everson Makowa Mwale (Malawi Congress Party-MCP) said CDF was the most effective means of local development in his constituency as it had facilitated the construction of bridges and school blocks damaged by floods and hailstorms.
He said: “The same cannot be said of DDF [District Development Fund]. I don’t know where the money goes and there is no work on the ground.”
However, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe, stood his ground, telling the legislators that the government is currently going through turbulent economic times and has no money to effect the increase.
He said in addition constituencies are serviced by the district development fund.
“Civil servants are watching and accusing me of treating MPs more favourably. They, too, would like an increase. I cannot go on and on [increasing allocations] for MPs because we are accountable elsewhere, not just here,” said Gondwe.
But the opposition and the government side could not agree which forced Second Deputy Speaker Clement Chiwaya, who chaired the committee of supply in the morning, to call for a vote through roll call.
At the end, 49 voted that the CDF should not change whilst 71 voted for the increase and 70 MPs were absent or absconded in the 193 strong House.
Nonetheless, there were surprises in the way the voting went as a top Malawi Congress Party (MCP) official Joseph Njobvuyalema voted against his party’S stand and sided with the government.
Former vice president Khumbo Kachali sided with the opposition althoigh he announced his support for the DPP just before the elections so too Christopher Mzomera Ngwira sided with the government after he was sacked from PP.
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With the current financial difficulties the country is in it is not feasible to increase those who voted for the increase are unreasonable
Please tell the people the truth of the matter. What was the vote about? You don’t lose anything by telling the truth. Rather, truth just increases your credibility and reliability.
scrap the District Development fund. It only feeds corruption.
Is it opposition defeats government or opposition defeats itself? HAHAHAHAHAHA
Njovuyalema tried his best to educate his ignorant and unwilling-to-learn opposition MPs on what they were voting for, but his attempt did not yield anything. This happens when you have ignorant leader of opposition. I wish Njovuyalema could lead the opposition block, zinazi eeee ayi zitipitisa kutchire.
Hmmm this article is misinforming the readers. Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe proposed that the CDF, currently at Mk12million, be increased up to Mk15million. But MPs wanted it to be increased to between K18 and K25 million. This brought up a stand-off which forced the speaker to ask the MPs whether they want the CDF to be increased from K12 million or not (INCREASE or NO). Unfortunately, opposition MPs ndi phuma losafuna kumvesa zinthu voted, ignorantly, for NO increase of CDF. Their vote meant that CDF in this budget should still be at K12 million, rejecting Goodall’s proposed increase hahahahahaha. Njobvuyalema… Read more »